Are you certain you will vote for that candidate or is it possible that something come up that causes you to change your mind?

Certain 45%

Could change mind 47%

If the 2012 Republican Primary for president were held today and you only had a choice between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, for whom would you vote?

Mitt Romney 55%

Rick Santorum 36%

Which Republican presidential candidate would be the strongest opponent against Barack Obama in the general election?

Mitt Romney 55%

Newt Gingrich 18%

Rick Santorum 17%

What’s more important - choosing a Republican nominee who does the best job representing Republican values or choosing a nominee that has the best chance to beat Barack Obama?

Nominee that has best chance to beat Obama 59%

Nominee who does best job representing GOP values 35%

Note: Romney is the clear favorite among voters who put electability first, but he is tied with Santorum among those who prefer a candidate who best represents party values.

Regardless of who you want to win, who do you think will win the Republican presidential nomination?

Mitt Romney 76%

Rick Santorum 15%

Newt Gingrich 3%

Suppose your favorite candidate does not win the nomination. When the general election is held, would you be most likely to vote for the Republican candidate, President Barack Obama or a third party candidate?

GOP primary voters in California feel more strongly than all voters nationwide that Santorum and Gingrich are the two most conservative candidates. Ninety percent (90%) see Santorum as at least somewhat conservative, while 76% say the same of Gingrich. Sixty-two percent (62%) believe Romney is politically conservative, and 52% say Paul fits that description.

Among Very Conservative primary voters, Romney bests Santorum by a 39% to 31% margin. Gingrich earns support from 21% of these voters. Among Somewhat Conservative voters, Romney draws 49% support to Santorum’s 23% and Gingrich’s 13%.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of likely Republican primary voters in California have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of Romney, while 71% feel that way about Santorum. Fifty-three percent (53%) share a favorable impression Gingrich, but just 31% view Paul favorably.